Day 1791

I was pretty pleased with myself when I successfully repaired my iPhone case using the replacement part that came in the mail today. Good as new, I thought. Then I went outside and discovered that a big gust of wind had blown off a segment of the greenhouse roof. Oops. This repair was going to be a lot harder. I found the corrugated roof segment that had come loose, but getting it back in place wasn't going to be easy. The steeply pitched roof isn't really strong enough for a person to stand on, and to make matters worse, there are still bees inside the greenhouse. Even though the greenhouse is basically just a shed to store the lawn mower and garden tools these days, I'd still like to get a roof on the building before the bad weather arrives later this week. Since it's virtually impossible to find competent people to do little jobs like this, it looks like I'll have to tackle this chore myself.

Since I'm not stupid enough to try to modify the furnace myself, I made an appointment with my HVAC guys to come install the new WiFi thermostat that Klout gave me. I was disappointed to hear that Marty, my favorite service technician, was no longer with the company. Marty has been fixing heating and cooling equipment at various properties I've owned for over twenty years. Now that he's gone, my go-to list of service people I trust has shrunk to exactly zero. There used to be dozens of people I could depend on to repair cameras, trim trees, remodel bathrooms, and install glass. They're all gone. My favorite carpenter decided he could make more money selling life insurance. An astoundingly good plumber I depended on abruptly quit a company he'd been working with for fifteen years and just disappeared. My camera repairman hung on for as long as he could by accepting work from collectors in Japan, but he eventually went out of business anyway. I've been through four insurance agents and five stockbrokers. Nothing lasts anymore. It's sad. Is a little continuity in this world too much to ask?

The park was filled with concrete trucks this afternoon. I find it ironic to see these huge, heavy trucks trampling all the native prairie grasses that other park enthusiasts have been telling people not to even walk across because they are so rare. I'm sure there is a master plan somewhere, but all I see is a lot of people at cross purposes. The contingent that wants more bike paths probably could care less about the native grasses. Although things look messy now, I doubt that the prairie grasses have been damaged. They're basically just weeds and have been here for hundreds of years. Trucks or no trucks, they'll be back next Spring.

I got my November invoices in the mail today. This chore doesn't take me as long as it used to, because my client list has shrunk considerably. Occasionally I think that I should do some marketing and get some new clients. Then I think, "now why would I want to do that?" It's all a matter of priorities. Losing a good HVAC repairman can be devastating. Losing a client is probably a blessing.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1790

I wish I had a decent camera with me this morning. While I was walking the dogs, at least thirty bright green parrots flew directly over my head. These weren't small pet parakeets that escaped from a birdcage. They were large, full grown parrots that looked like they belonged in a Central American jungle. What were they doing in Texas? Especially when a major cold front is headed our way. I vaguely recall seeing a few birds like these last year, but never in large numbers like this. Being the kind of guy I am, I did a search for the birds on Google and discovered that they're called Monk Parakeets by some, and Quaker Parrots by others. A large colony of these birds, which are common in South America, have been living in our city at least since 2009. The parrot colony makes their home in an electrical substation just a few miles from my house. Now I'm wondering why I haven't seen them before.

The parrots weren't the only animals enjoying this unseasonably warm Fall morning. Dot and Dash had a great time on their morning walk, pausing to smell every tree and bush along the way. We saw plenty of ducks, squirrels, rabbits, and of course lots of other dogs and their owners taking advantage of the mild Indian Summer day.

The stars must have been aligned today. Nothing irritated me at all. I listened to an interesting Ted Talk on the radio on the way to the gym. I had a good solid workout with only minimal shoulder pain, and when I went to get groceries on the way home, the store wasn't even crowded. Janet and I found a nice place to have Thanksgiving dinner and made our reservations. I even put a fresh hypoallergenic filter in the furnace, so the air in the house should be a little cleaner for at least a couple of weeks. I was originally supposed to shoot a video for a client today, but the job got postponed. These days, I'm never disappointed when work gets postponed. Lazy days with surprise parrots are much better.

I'll make a few phone calls tomorrow and see what it's going to take to get the new WiFi thermostat installed. I'm actually kind of intrigued to have a thermostat I can talk to. I never talk to Siri on my phone, because asking a phone to do things for me still seems a bit ridiculous for someone with my lifestyle. A talking thermostat I could use though. I'm always concerned about the temperature.

Maybe I'll make myself a nice omelet tomorrow morning. Janet tells me I think about food too much, but it certainly beats thinking about Photoshop, Dreamweaver, or where my next job is coming from.

Dot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1789

It occurred to me today that I'm not going to be able to keep going up on the roof indefinitely. I never use a ladder and make the climb using indentations in the 50's modern brick facade as toeholds to get to the top. It's kind of like rock climbing and works pretty well, except when I pull a muscle like I did today. It certainly wasn't a serious mishap, but now my good shoulder is sore. It's irritating watching my body slowly deteriorate. I used to be able to run five miles without getting seriously winded. When we first moved into the house, I used to mow the grass by hand with an old fashioned push mower. I couldn't begin to do that anymore. I wonder how much longer I'll be able to climb up on the roof?

It looks like we are going to escape the Polar Vortex that is going to send temperatures tumbling in the northern part of the country next week. It's still going to get a lot colder though. The onset of Winter is making me really appreciate the mild Indian Summer days we've been having this week. It was absolutely beautiful today and the dogs enjoyed the mild weather as much as I did. It's still t-shirt weather this weekend, so it's hard to believe that the temperature is going to be in the 30's next week.

I got a package in the mail this morning containing the fancy WiFi thermostat that the folks at Klout sent me. After a quick look inside the box, I immediately realized that this wasn't really a free gift after all. The thermostat looked way too complicated for me to install, so I'm going to have to call the HVAC guys and have them come out and make a service call. Oh, well. I need to have the furnace cleaned anyway. Honeywell wants me to write about my experience with the thermostat on Twitter and the blog. That's certainly not a big deal, since I'll write about just about anything. I'm wondering if the whole thing was a mistake though. Janet and I never agree about how hot or cool it should be in the house. With a thermostat you can control with your phone and even your voice, we'll be constantly changing the temperature. We'll probably wear the thing out.

Even though the show seemed to receive rave reviews on the Internet, I found the season finale of Dr. Who a bit confusing. I guess I was expecting something a bit more definitive than Clara and the Doctor just going their separate ways after each tells the other a lie near the end of the show. For a while I thought that Clara really was the previous doctor as she claimed, but that turned out to be a lie as well. And why does the Master always keep returning? I thought he died several seasons ago. Maybe with my simple mind, I ought to stick to watching those old Perry Mason reruns. Somebody always gets murdered during the first five minutes and then Perry always wins his case in court. The formula never varies.

I should probably go the gym tomorrow, but there are a lot of other things I should probably do as well. I guess I'll just see how my shoulder feels in the morning.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1788

I suppose that in some sort of peripheral way, I am part of the media. I'm a writer and I have readers anyway. One thing I've noticed is whenever something alarming happens in my life, I get more readers. When things calm down and life becomes predictable again, readers drift away. I suspect this happens with the mainstream media as well. This would certainly explain why we are continually bombarded with stories about terrorism, Ebola, and celebrity meltdowns. People love a good disaster. In fairness, most people love stories about overcoming adversity too. They just don't like watching paint dry.

I hope my rather tame Friday adventures haven't become like watching paint dry for you. There is no need to show you another picture of my breakfast, because you've seen it already. My routine has remained unchanged for well over a year. I wake up, walk the dogs, take my morning meds, and go out to breakfast. On the way home, I pick up groceries for the weekend. I retrieve the garbage can from the curb when I hear the trash truck drive by, and finally I turn on the computer and see if there's any work I need to do.

I did mix things up a tiny bit this morning. On my way to the breakfast restaurant, I stopped by my general practitioner's office and had my lab work done in preparation for an annual physical exam later this month. They always want me to fast for these periodic blood tests, so getting the lab work done on the way to breakfast is perfect. With any luck, my physical will be the last doctor visit I make this year.

When I was walking the dogs this evening I saw a fire truck, a police car, and a cop on a bicycle all converge on the workers building the new concrete bike path in the park. Even though the lights were flashing on the emergency vehicles, there was no sign of a fire or altercation. Nobody was arrested or carried away on a stretcher. After about ten minutes everybody returned to their vehicles and drove away. I have absolutely no idea what was going on.

Dot appears to be back to normal. She was active and energetic today, with none of the reflux or heartburn problems she had yesterday. I probably worry about her too much, but once you've dealt with cancer, almost anything can seem like a precursor to the cancer's return. Let's hope that Dot and Dash can lead a normal, uneventful life for years to come. In my world, normal is good, even though it can seem like watching paint dry for some of you.

Chase is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1787

It was nice to see the sun again. The skies were clear this morning and the temperature was a brisk 65 degrees. The dogs love this kind of weather, so we started the day with a long meandering walk. After a leisurely breakfast on our return, I reluctantly acknowledged that it was still a work day and turned on the computer.

It wasn't a terribly busy day, but there was enough to keep me busy until it was time to take Dot downtown for her weekly physical therapy appointment. I've grown to look forward to these vet appointments because they're about the only time I chat with people anymore. Janet frequently leaves for work before I get up and by the time she returns, it's time for bed again. I'll talk to the dogs during the day, but they don't listen unless they hear the words dinner or treat. It's not much of a conversation.

It's time for my annual physical again, but I keep postponing making the appointment. I guess I've just grown tired of doctors and blood tests. I suppose I'll need to go soon though, since the renewals for all my prescriptions are linked to these yearly visits. My doctors always say that they'll never prescribe something for more than a year at a time because it is important for to review your meds periodically. I'm sure there is some truth to this, but I've always suspected that withholding prescription renewals is just a clever way to make sure you return for a visit. I'm probably like most people. Even though I believe that preventative medicine is a good thing, I don't even think about going to the doctor unless I feel sick.

Dot seemed to feel a little sick this morning. She kept acting like she was going to throw up, and then when I took her outside, she just sniffed the air and did nothing. We repeated this routine several times and then she calmed down and went to sleep on her dog bed. The rest of the day, she was fine. Maybe she just had a mild case of heartburn or an upset stomach. When I asked the vet about this odd behavior, she said it probably meant nothing. She did say that if Dot started experiencing reflux or heartburn frequently, I should probably take her back to the cancer center for another re-check. So far, so good though. Dot did very well on the underwater treadmill today and seemed to have plenty of energy on her evening walk.

I never got around to going to the grocery store today, so I just went to Chili's on the way home from mailing some letters at the post office and picked up a cheeseburger to go. I very rarely do this, but the burger was certainly good. Another forbidden pleasure. I would probably be ten pounds heavier if I ate like this frequently.

I have several writing jobs waiting for me tomorrow and I need to remember to make reservations for Thanksgiving dinner as well. Those things can wait though. As always, the first thing I'm going to do is enjoy a great breakfast at my favorite restaurant.

Spot is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1786

Although the rain continued today, it seemed a lot more tolerable than yesterday. It was easier to find little windows of opportunity where I would walk the dogs without getting wet. It was a bit warmer than yesterday. And most importantly, I had enough work to keep me busy, so the day passed quickly. Ordinarily, I would have gone to the grocery store on a day like this, but I scrounged for leftovers in the refrigerator instead. I still didn't feel like driving.

I was finally able to contact someone and get them to sell me a replacement for the broken part of my iPhone case. Actually, I was very impressed by this type of service. It's virtually impossible to buy component parts anymore. It's a throw away society now and typically when you break something, you just throw it away instead of trying to repair it. If I ever upgrade to an iPhone 6, I'll buy another case from these guys. Anyone who makes a product that is repairable and then actually encourages you to repair it is worthy of a little loyalty in my book.

I can't figure out why there seems to be more mosquitoes inside the house these days than there are outside.  I know that some fly inside when I leave the back door open for the dogs, but I never thought they'd thrive indoors. That's what's happening though. They must be breeding. At least these are very slow mosquitoes. They are very easy to swat and kill when I notice them flying around. I thought the warm dry air would kill the little beasts when I turned the furnace on for the Winter, but all that did was make my sinus problems worse. Eventually, I'll get all the mosquitoes though. What else is there to do on a rainy day?

I wish I had more writing jobs. Writing seems so easy compared to the more technical things I do for a living. Website design is problematic, since the technology keeps changing. People's expectations are pretty high now, and I find it harder and harder hard to keep up with the latest developments. Photography has its own set of problems. I'm an excellent photographer, but I've really grown tired of hauling heavy lights and equipment around. With the budgets I work with these days, it hardly seems worth the effort. I often feel like showing up for assignments and just taking pictures with my phone.

I think the rain is over. Tomorrow is actually supposed to be a nice day. I certainly hope so. The refrigerator is empty and I need to go to the store. Dot has an appointment for her physical therapy session too. If I get caught up with my work, I may even go up on the roof again. I know there's a lot of water waiting for me up there.

Coach is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1785

All day rain. Those three little words can really throw a wrench in the works at our house. Both dogs hate the rain and stubbornly refuse to go out side and pee when it's wet. They seem to think that I control the rain, somewhat like a light switch. They both wait at the door for me to turn it off. When the rain continues, they get mad and start barking. I think they're  convinced that the wet weather is all my fault. Eventually, when their bladders are about to burst, they will go outside and take a quick pee in the rain, but it is an uphill battle every step of the way. At least I got them out around daybreak for a short walk before the weather got nasty. Once the rain started, it was a lost cause.

With restless dogs and no place to go, I quickly get cabin fever on rainy days. My workload was light today, so I basically divided my time between trying to take Dot outside at regular intervals so she wouldn't pee in the house and doing a little bookkeeping. As much as I hate bookkeeping, it was still easier to balance my checkbook than it was to get Dot to pee in the rain. Even though her incontinence is much better than it was several months ago, she still needs to go outside every few hours to avoid accidents. So far, so good, but I sure hope it doesn't continue raining tomorrow.

I'm glad I voted early. I doubt that there would have been long lines at the polling places with all the rain, but getting out in traffic would have been a mess. I was happy to just stay home today. Even when cabin fever has me pacing around the house, I still have little desire to drive in the rain. Even though the rain probably decreased voter turnout, I doubt that it changed the outcome of any races. Elections are seldom even close in Texas.

It's time to make Thanksgiving dinner reservations. Last year we waited too long and had trouble finding a restaurant that could seat us anywhere near lunchtime. We haven't cooked a Thanksgiving dinner at home in years. It's easier and a lot more fun to try an interesting new restaurant. When my parents were alive, I vaguely remember large family Thanksgiving dinners, but these were not always pleasant events. I like this way better. It would be nice to find a place where the dogs could come along too, but you can't have everything.

If it continues raining tomorrow I might cook an elaborate breakfast. It's a good way to kill time and the smell of food in the kitchen keeps the dogs occupied. We'll still need to work in a walk sometime, but hopefully there will be a break in the weather. It never did stop raining today. I hear rain pounding on the roof right now, but thankfully there are no leaks. No leaks is good!

Ginger is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1784

Some days are filled with life changing experiences. Other days you just pick up dog poop. Today was one of those mundane Mondays filled with small but necessary tasks. Yes, I did clean up dog poop in the back yard this morning. I also took Dash to the vet to get his anal glands expressed, paid a couple of bills that were collecting dust on my desk, took them to the post office, and tried to repair my broken iPhone case with super glue when I returned. There were some routine website updates and client correspondence that I took care of right after breakfast, but I could have postponed the entire day until Tuesday if I wanted.

I can't really complain about uneventful days, since I seem to willingly allow them to happen. Frequently, I have vague plans to do something significant, but by the time I finish fixing breakfast, doing laundry and dishes, emptying the trash, running small errands, and attending to the dogs, the day is over. I tend to find comfort in keeping myself busy with small day-to-day chores and postpone the big things as long as possible. Maybe I've learned over the years that some of the "big" things aren't nearly as important or necessary as you might think.

When I got up this morning, there was a big possum staring at me through the living room window. I went outside and scared the thing away with a broom before letting the dogs out to pee. I don't know why possums are such frequent visitors to our yard, but we seem to see a lot of them. I always worry that one of the dogs might get hurt trying to tangle with a possum. I'm sure they'd think it was just an ugly cat and try to chase it, not realizing that a possum can be pretty nasty when cornered. I guess protecting the dogs from possums is an important thing, but it seems like a mundane thing since it happens so frequently.

I'm not a political person, but I'm very interested in seeing what happens tomorrow. I'm so disgusted with politicians that no matter which party is in power, I usually look forward to seeing a huge upset on election day. There is a certain satisfaction in throwing the bums out. I think our political system would be better if ordinary citizens served in congress instead of professional politicians. Maybe it could work like jury duty. If you got a random summons, you would be called to serve in congress for six months or a year. This would be unpaid public service. Everybody would have to serve, but nobody could get rich or run for re-election. Maybe something might actually get done if we didn't have an elite political class, consumed by power and controlled by special interests. Almost anything would be better than the mess we've got now.

It looked like it was going to rain all day, but I think the bad weather just got postponed until tomorrow. The forecast calls for thunderstorms starting about 10 AM. I hope this dismal forecast is wrong. I'm sure Dot and Dash hope it is wrong as well.

Wolfgang is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1783

It was a busy day. Janet and I went to a fundraiser lunch for a group that works to improve the park behind our house. I love walking the dogs in the park, but never dreamed there were so many competing interests trying to shape its future. Some people love the new concrete bike path that the city is building. Others are outraged that the path cuts through an owl sanctuary and are trying to get the path rerouted. Some are happy that the city arborist is planting new trees to replace the ones that have been uprooted by wind storms. Others think the entire effort is misguided, saying that the young oak trees are being planted too closely together and will not thrive. Some are alarmed at the growing homeless population in the park. Others want to add more picnic areas to make the area more inviting. For every view there is an opposing view. Such is life in the city.

After an enjoyable lunch we returned home to let the dogs out to pee and then went to our  second event of the afternoon. This one was hosted by an animal rescue group we both like. In the past we have brought dogs from Dalmatian Rescue to this event to help them find their forever homes. There aren't as many abandoned dalmatians now and the group has gotten better at finding them homes. Instead of a lot of dogs waiting for homes in a kennel, we now have a waiting list. I wish all the rescue groups had a waiting list. There are still so many wonderful dogs who need homes.

There was also an AIA tour of homes today, but two events in one day was plenty. I wish I'd known though that you could visit individual homes without purchasing a ticket for the entire tour. There is one home near ours on the tour constructed using fourteen large metal shipping containers like the ones you see on container ships. I would have loved to see what this house looked like on the inside. 

The dogs don't seem to understand the time change. They wanted their breakfast an hour earlier than what the clock said and were ready for dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon. This happens every year. Eventually they adjust to the new schedule, but at least for now they are convinced that we are withholding their food. They'll both be happy to know that I will be feeding them a little earlier as the days grow shorter. I'd much rather feed them early than walk them in the dark and run into a coyote.

I watched the new "Dark Waters" episode of Dr. Who this afternoon and have to grudgingly admit that the writing was better this time. This episode was complex, full of nuances, and a bit scary. I will never think of cremation quite the same way again. My main problem is still Clara. How can she be a normal schoolteacher this season after she was "the impossible girl" who jumped into the doctor's timeline and then died over and over again throughout time to keep the doctor out of danger. It's almost like the writers just forgot about all the previous seasons. Continuity lapses in films drive me nuts. I notice the little incongruities and they ruin the story for me.

Won't you be glad when this election is over? I've had my fill of the constant campaigning and relentless negative advertising. Both sides are guilty. Most voters don't seem to care about the real issues anyway. They just pick a team like they are watching a football game and root for their team. It's all about winning. Politics and football have a lot in common.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1782

Well, it's that time of year again. We set the clocks back tonight and for the rest of the Winter, I'll be taking the dogs on their evening walk in the dark. I wish we had Daylight Saving Time all year long. If it's dark when I wake up, I just sleep in a little longer. It's harder to compensate at the end of the day. I always take the dogs on their final walk of the day, after I feed them dinner. I've learned from experience that they're more likely to poop that way. I can't feed them their dinner too early, so immediately after the time change, I'm faced with the prospect of walking the dogs in the dark.

Fall is my favorite season, but it doesn't last nearly long enough. It was 39 degrees outside when we woke up this morning. This is cold to me. I have already turned on the furnace for the Winter, and with shorter, cooler days on the way, it's time to get out the Winter coats as well. I don't think I'd make a good Northerner. If 39 degrees makes me nervous, you can just imagine how 39 degrees below would make me feel. I've actually experienced Winters this cold, since I went to high school in Alaska, but that was enough. I'm a fan of warm weather and lots of sunlight now.

I ended up going to the gym today instead of Sunday, since Janet and I have several charity events to attend tomorrow. I wonder how this gym makes any money, since it is never very full. Although I enjoy having the place to myself, it has to be bad for business. This is a very large facility and there were only five other people working out this afternoon. I seldom tell people how great this gym is, because the last thing I want is new members. I would hate to see it go out of business though. Where would I go? In my world, a crowded gym is even worse than cold Winters.

Today was busy, since I tried to cram two days worth of errands into a single afternoon. Everything got done though. The car has a full tank of gas. The refrigerator is full again. There are clean sheets on the bed. And the dogs got two very nice walks. I even found time to unclog the large format printer and test the new wireless microphones. I was surprised at how well the digital mics worked. There was no discernible hiss or hum that I could detect. Hopefully, these new additions will improve the quality of the few remaining videos I still produce.

We had no trick or treaters last night. None at all. This was fine by me, but some of the neighbors seemed disappointed that the children have disappeared. Times have changed. Now parents drive their kids across town to designated affluent areas with lots of candy. You either love or hate living on one of these streets. I'm glad our street isn't very popular.

Jeda is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1781 - Halloween

I was right. The plastic forks didn't even last a week. When I went to breakfast this morning, the regular metal silverware was back. It's good to see that common sense prevailed. The parking places are still too small, but I can live with that. I didn't seem to have as much trouble parking today.

Ordinarily, I'd share a picture of a pumpkin with you on Halloween, but I didn't see any pumpkins today. Maybe I didn't look very hard. There certainly weren't any pumpkins left in the stores. All the stores have moved on to Christmas by now. Halloween is pretty much a non-event at our house anyway. Halloween is a holiday for children and cosplayers and we don't have either in our neighborhood. We haven't had trick or treaters in years. With all the Ebola worries in this town, probably a lot of people aren't opening their doors to strangers anyway.

Commercial spaceflight certainly hasn't had a good week. First the Orbital Sciences Antares Rocket explodes and then today Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo explodes during a test flight. If I was Elon Musk, I'd be a little nervous right now. I was watching TV when the news broke and was astounded at the damage to the spacecraft. Nothing was left. It was amazing that one of the pilots was able to eject, since it all happened so fast. Even if I had the ridiculous amount of money it takes to secure a ticket on one of these Virgin Galactic flights, I don't think you could talk me into going. I'm a huge fan of spaceflight as long as I still have both feet on the ground. I throw up on roller coasters. I wanted to get a pilot's license once, but flunked out of the flight training class for the same reason. I still remember one of my flight instructors telling another instructor, "You take him up this time, I cleaned out the plane last time." Somehow, I don't think the five minutes of weightlessness everyone is looking forward to would sit very well with my stomach.

I wrote a letter to Lunatik asking if they'd replace my broken iPhone case. I bet they won't, but it's worth a shot. The ads for this thing showed the case being run over by a motorcycle and surviving all sorts of punishment. It certainly shouldn't break just sitting in your pocket.

The concrete trucks were back in the park today, pouring another segment of the new bicycle superhighway. Most of the neighbors seem to like this new development, but I still think it is a colossal waste of money. If I knew that this is how the money would be spent, I probably wouldn't have voted for the bond issue that funded this and other efforts to gentrify the park and turn it into a recreation destination. All I want is a quiet place to walk the dogs.

Roxy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1780

I had to go down to the UPS depot to pick up a package this morning and was amazed at how quiet and efficient the place seemed. The last time I was here, it was total chaos. "Wow, this is a lot different than Christmas," I told the clerk behind the counter. "Oh, we got rid of our bad boss," he responded. "Everything is fine now." Sounds about right to me. It doesn't matter what you do for a living. Having a bad boss can make a shambles of everything.

Evidently the manager wanted to get a performance bonus for keeping costs under control and refused to hire extra help during the busy holiday season. The resulting poor service caused such a customer backlash that the company fired the manager instead of giving her a bonus. I remember that I was one of the customers who complained about poor service last Winter. It's nice to know that every once in a while, companies actually listen to their customers.

Dot had a great day at her physical therapy session. I still can't figure out why she is strong and energetic on some days and weak and tired at other times. Our days are remarkable consistent. She eats the same food, sleeps the same amount of time, and walks the same trails day after day. You'd think the therapy sessions would be the same as well. Maybe she's just in a better mood on certain days. That's definitely the case with me. When I'm in a good mood, I can get twice as much done.

I was surprised when we got rained on during our afternoon walk. October has been so dry that I've almost forgotten about rain. It was cloudy when we left on our walk, but I didn't even bother to check the weather radar. It just didn't seem like a rainy day. Although we all got soaked, there was no thunder and lightening, so the dogs didn't panic. I dried everybody off with large bath towels when we got home and then everything was back to normal.

Dot's vets and nurses were just as surprised as me that tomorrow is Halloween. Where has this year gone? I can't remember a year where the time has zipped by so fast. If I remember anything at all about this year, it will be all the doctor's appointments and medical emergencies. I started my Hepatitis C treatment in January, Dash was diagnosed with cancer in February, and then Dot got sick and was diagnosed with cancer in July. Now that the year is winding to a close, I am very thankful that each of these stories had a happy ending.

I've already taken the trash out to the curb for Friday morning pick-up and am looking forward to having a delicious breakfast at my favorite restaurant. Friday's are almost always good days.

Puppies are today's Dalmatians of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1779

There are some built-in cabinets in the house that are located right near the ceiling. The modern looking storage areas fit right in with the mid-century design, but they are virtually useless. In order to access these cabinets, I have to get the big folding stepladder out of the greenhouse. I'm fairly tall and I can't even reach the cabinet doors without the ladder. The space inside is large enough for heavy, bulky things, but since you have to climb up the precarious ladder with your load, it usually isn't worth the trouble. These awkward storage areas are such a pain in the neck to use that they are mostly just filled with pillows and empty boxes.

One cabinet is still filled with heavy boxes though. I decided to store a bunch of stuff there when we first bought the house and haven't looked at the stuff since. I don't know how I managed to get some of these heavy boxes up and into the storage space in the first place, but I guess I was younger then. At any rate, I decided to empty the cabinet out today. It was a lot of work to get the heavy boxes back to ground level. I threw some stuff away and took the rest to the storage warehouse. Among the many things I retrieved was a chess set with playing pieces depicting characters from the Simpsons. There was a box filled with hundreds and hundreds of watch crowns in tiny glass vials. Another box was filled with water stained diplomas and awards. There was a sample case filled with greeting card designs that I planned on marketing decades ago. Everything was mildly interesting, but nothing was useful.

There were a lot of elaborate costumes at the dog training class Halloween party this evening. Our instructor came in a hazmat suit with his dog dressed up as a virus. One large dog was dressed as a table holding a pumpkin filled with dog treats. That costume never would have worked with our dogs. They would have immediately tipped the pumpkin over and eaten all the dog treats. There were the usual assortment of dragons, skeletons, and bats. There was even a dog dressed as Elvis who happened to be named Elvis as well. We didn't win anything this year, but we didn't put a lot of thought into our costumes either. The dogs probably wonder why we dress them up for this silly event year after year. They don't complain though, because there are lots and lots of dog treats.

I'm glad the dogs didn't see the cute little green gecko that was on the stepladder this afternoon. I'm sure one of them would have ate him. I almost brought the little lizard into the house with me because I didn't see him either, but luckily he jumped off the ladder at the last minute. I managed to snap one picture before the gecko ran away.

The supposedly "indestructible" case for my iPhone broke today. I didn't drop the phone or anything. The case just cracked. I can't decide whether to complain to customer service or just get a new case. It would probably make more sense to get a new phone.

Dakota is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 1778

I got the long awaited message from the liver center today, telling me that they considered me officially "cured" of Hepatitis C. My final viral load test showed that after six months, there was still no trace of the virus in my body. There will be no more tests. I'm done.

I'm relieved and happy to put all this behind me. It's ironic in a way that it took a deadly disease to get me healthy. Before Sovaldi came along, there really wasn't an effective cure for the disease. The previous interferon and ribavirin treatment only had a 50% success rate and many people experienced terrible side effects. I decided to wait until Sovaldi was approved and changed my entire diet and lifestyle to decrease the load on my liver. I quit drinking. I lost weight. And I exchanged my steady diet of cheeseburgers and beer for broccoli, kale salads, and other healthy fare. Healthy living kept my liver going while I was waiting and I ended up being one of the first people in the country to receive the new drug. It has been a long journey, but it definitely ended well.

I thought I'd watch a few YouTube videos and see if it were possible for me to install a new battery in my MacBook Pro laptop without going to the Apple Store. The process seemed simple enough. You just unscrew the bottom of the computer, unscrew a few more things inside, and them remove and replace the battery. Piece of cake. By doing this myself, I could cut the cost of a battery replacement in half. I gave the matter some serious thought and then decided I ought to make an appointment at the Genius Bar instead. I've had experience dealing with tiny little screws that have been tightened by machines before. It's incredibly easy to strip the threads, making it impossible to put everything back together again. I've ruined enough watches with tiny little screws that I proceed very cautiously when I see these things now. Just because you've got a small Philips screwdriver doesn't necessarily mean you can get the screws out. The Apple Store technicians are just as likely to destroy the computer as I am, but if they break it, they'll give me a new one. That's what happened when I had to get a new battery for my iPhone. The Apple folks ended up destroying the phone, but they were real nice about giving me a brand new one.

I watched a rocket explode carrying supplies to the space station when I was eating dinner tonight. I bet the astronauts on board the station are a little nervous right now. The 5,000 pounds of supplies included most of their food for the next six months. It's not exactly easy to get up to the space station anymore, with all our space shuttles sitting in museums. I did a little channel surfing to see if I could learn more about the story and was surprised to see how selective news coverage has become. All MSNBC was talking about were the upcoming mid-term elections, and Fox was still talking about Ebola. Apparently the only folks that initially thought this story was news was CNN.

Dot and Dash have their costumes ready for the Halloween party tomorrow. Once or twice we've won the costume contest, but typically the class don't even know what our costumes are. We'll see how it goes tomorrow.

Abi is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1777

I voted today. It was easy to find a polling place. You just look for a nearby church or school with hundreds of yard signs out front. I always wonder why so many judges run unopposed. There were pages and pages of judges on the ballot with no opponent. I didn't know who any of them were. I think the only people who are interested in these local judge races are lawyers. All the lawyers in our neighborhood have a big sign for some type of judge in their yard. I think most of the propositions on the ballot are purposefully written to confuse voters. You have to read them really carefully or you can easily end up voting exactly the opposite of what you had planned. We have voter ID here in Texas, but it didn't seem to be causing the problems that some pundits claimed. Since everyone drove to the polling place, they all had driver's licenses.

I don't understand the fierce opposition to voter ID anyway. Disabled and elderly people have been able to vote by mail in Texas for decades, so not being able to drive really isn't an issue. Everyone else needs an ID just to be a functioning member of modern society. I probably get asked to show my drivers license a dozen times a week. You can't fly without showing an ID. Many stores ask to see a photo ID before you use your credit card. Very few doctors will treat you without seeing an ID first. Banks want to see your ID. You really can't do much of anything without having an identity. Why should voting be different?

Personally, I think we should be making it a little harder to vote. I don't care who you vote for, but I think you owe it to the other voters to at least be familiar with the issues and the candidates. If you haven't got a clue, just stay home.

I ordered a wireless microphone system for an upcoming video project today. The radio mics cost more than what I'll make from doing the video. Do I care? Obviously not. Writing still pays the bills for me. For the most part, video and photography jobs are just an excuse to buy cool gear. The wireless mics probably aren't even essential for this particular job. I just want to see how they work.

One of my neighbors asked me if I'd made a hand print in the new concrete bike path that's slowly taking shape behind my house. Nope. Somehow, the thought of sticking my hand in wet concrete never crossed my mind. This guy was real excited though. He said his hand print would last for a thousand years. Maybe he meant to say ten years. Nothing lasts very long in Dallas.

Dash is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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Day 1776

When I arrived at the gym this afternoon, there was a big sign at the reception desk that said "Pool Closed Until Further Notice." My paranoid mind immediately made the assumption that this must have something to do with Ebola. In all likelihood, the pool had just developed a leak. It doesn't matter anyway, since I never use the pool. Swimming might actually be better for my shoulder than what I'm doing now, but it's too much trouble to get a locker and change. The place was pretty empty this afternoon, but that didn't mean anything at all. The gym is always empty on Sunday afternoons.

On my way home I listened to a Ted Talk on the radio where a geneticist talked about human evolution. It was fascinating. I was surprised to learn that although Homo sapiens have been around for several hundred thousand years, modern day humans are only about 60,000 years old. That's pretty young, considering how long crocodiles have been around. According to this geneticist, the human race almost went extinct when the ice age coincided with the eruption of a huge supervolcano in Indonesia about 70,000 years ago. The explosion dimmed the sun for six years, disrupted seasonal rains and almost killed off the human race. With fewer than 2000 people left on the planet, evolution kicked into high gear, forcing humans to either adapt or die. The remaining humans left their home in Africa, searching for a more hospitable climate. They invented language as we know it today. They developed agriculture and other ways to improve their survival odds, and spread across the world in less than 10,000 years. All this information was just the prelude to the main event, however. The guys main point was that he thinks that evolution has kicked into high gear again and in less than 500 years we will change into a completely different species. We are being asked to process more information in a single day now than we used to process in a year. Our current brains can't handle the load and they are trying to adapt, just like the first humans were forced to adapt to a cataclysmic change in climate. Some of the science in this Ted Talk went over my head, but it caught my attention when the explosion of autism in children and many other modern day disorders were explained as explorations on a DNA level as the evolutionary process tries to arrive at whatever comes next. Of course none of this may be true, but it is still fascinating. Your great, great grandchildren might not even be human. I've always thought that people who worry about the glaciers melting are thinking way too small. The earth is 4 billion years old. If we're really only 60,000 years old, I'm sure the earth has a way to deal with us. Maybe we won't destroy the planet after all. Maybe the planet will change us.

I think I'll go vote tomorrow. I'm not sure where the early voting place is, but it should be easy to find. I've become a fan of early voting in recent years. It's so much more convenient that waiting in line on election day. The early voting locations all seem to have the latest touch screen voting machines too. When I vote at my local precinct on election day, I get a paper ballot where I have to mark a lot of little circles with a #2 pencil. The type on the ballot is very small and when I forget my reading glasses, I don't know what is going on.

We've finally come up with costumes for the Halloween party at our dog training class this Wednesday. Janet is sewing them together now. No, the costumes aren't for us. They are for the dogs.

Pearl is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1775

It takes me about an hour every day to write this and edit the accompanying photos. This means I've literally spent thousands of hours telling you about nothing at all. You'd think I'd find something more useful to do with my time. I probably won't. In an odd way I think this is important.

Let's just call it an experiment. The other day I showed you a picture of Purple Asters. I flipped back a year and was surprised to discover that these Asters came into bloom on exactly the same day last year. I took a picture that day too. Nature is more predictable than I thought. Flowers reappear in exactly the same spot year after year. I see cloud formations that I've seen before. In a way it is comforting to know that the passage of time is so orderly. All I'm doing is keeping a record of things.

I've learned that not everything stays the same. I've already showed you pictures of things that don't even exist anymore. Trees have been struck by lightning, or destroyed by wind. Roads have been widened. Houses have been torn down. The tiny slice of the world I share with you has changed dramatically. If I continue this narrative, you will probably see me change as well. Maybe I already have.

I'm continually surprised at what changes and what stays the same. It's not always as I expected. Who would have thought that Facebook would be the place where I learn that someone I know has died. Maybe you still hear about engagements and weddings. I don't even hear about divorces anymore. I'm way beyond that. My newsfeed has become a parade of strokes and heart attacks. No wonder my doctor is so concerned about heart attacks. They seem to happen with alarming regularity among my classmates and co-workers. When you add dogs into the mix, Facebook becomes a parade of death. Almost every day I learn of another beloved pet who has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. Dogs just don't live long enough. Maybe this is why I like the pictures of puppies so much. You probably have your own symbols for rebirth. For me, it's puppies.

The day was too nice to dwell on thoughts like these for very long. I did a little gardening while I watched the dogs sun themselves in the yard. I finished the grocery shopping and ran my weekend errands. It was kind of a lazy day, so I even got caught up on couple of episodes of Dr. Who. I wonder who writes that show now? I always thought Russel T Davies was a genius, but even I could write better scripts than the current batch of writers. I only continue watching this show because Farside, Lexx, and Firefly aren't around any more.

I think I'll go back to the gym tomorrow. It's silly to keep avoiding the gym just because it is part of the Presbyterian Hospital System. Like most people in Dallas, my fears of Ebola are beginning to fade. I'm back to eating fresh vegetables again too. I don't think I have the attention span to stay worried about anything too long.

Patch is today's Dalmatian of the Day

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